Scaffold-waler bracket

ABSTRACT

A bracket for use with concrete forming systems to support work scaffolding or form aligning and strengthening walers. A support frame having a lower end for contact with form elements extends upwardly and outwardly to provide clearance for form reinforcing bars and to provide support for a movable clamping element. An attachment is provided for engaging the reinforcing bars, form tie elements or a first waler of the form system to hold the support frame as adjustment of the clamping element moves the scaffold staging pieces horizontally into secure engagement with the forms thereby additionally providing a reinforcing and aligning waler. A screw may be used for powering movement of the clamping element.

States Patent [1 1 Unite Verhey SCAFFOLD-WALER BRACKET [76] Inventor:Myron B. Verhey, 7851 Irving St.,

Westminster, Colo. 80030 [22] Filed: May 4, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 250,308

Primary Examiner-Robert D. Baldwin Attorney, Agent, or FirmC. BMessenger 1111 3,792,831 i451 Feb. 19, 1974 7 ABSTRACT A bracket for usewith concrete forming systems to support work scaffolding or formaligning and strengthening walers. A support frame having a lower endfor contact. with form elements extends upwardly and outwardly toprovide clearance for form reinforcing bars and to provide support for amovable clamping element. An attachment is provided for engaging thereinforcing bars, form tie elements or a first waler of the form systemto hold the support frame as adjustment of the clamping element movesthe scaffold staging pieces horizontally into secure engagement with theforms thereby additionally providing a reinforcing and aligning waler. Ascrew may be used for powering movement of the clamping element.

' Claims, i0 Drawing Figures 1 SCAFFOLD-WALER BRACKET BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In connection with the pouring of concrete walls and similarstructures, many different panel type forms are now being used. Thepresent systems usually provide a panel form element that may be ofplywood and that may or may not be reinforced at its edges. Form ties ofwire or rod are extended between opposed form boards .or panels to holdthe forms in desired position. Many form systems provide locking barsthat are disposed horizontally on the form panels for interengagementone with the other to provide at least preliminary alignment of theforms as they are being erected. In order to assure accurate wallalignment, it is desirable in many instances to provide a continuoushorizontally disposed waler on at least one of the opposed form walls.Further, since the walls may be of considerable height, it is oftendesirable to provide staging components so that workmen may moreconveniently introduce concrete into the upwardly opening void. Anobject of the present invention is to satisfy both thestagengaged to theform lock of FIG. 7,

ing and alignment waler requirements of form systems through provisionof a support bracket that may be engaged with the present panel forms orthe form ties used therewith.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In keeping with the stated objective, thepresent invention provides a support bracket for engagement withexisting types of panel forms or at least with the form ties used inconnection therewith. A support frame extends outwardly from the formpanels to provide support for a clamping elementthat may be adjustablypositioned. The frame or elements attached thereto is engaged directlywith the reinforcing bars, walers or form ties used in different formingsystems. Mechanical advantage means on the frame are then used to move aclamping element against scaffold staging components that may be ofdimension lumber materials thereby moving the staging components intosecure engagement with the panel forms. A working scaffold is thusprovided, but the panel forms are at the same time brought intoalignment with the scaffold staging components. The staging components,accordingly, become reinforcing and aligning walers for the form system.v

Separate attachments are provided toadapt a standard type of bracket foruse with various existing forming systems. Accordingly, the combinedscaffold and waler advantages of the present invention may be utilizedwith most all of the extensively used forming systems now in existence.I

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS of the first embodiment of FIG. 9 is afront elevation showing engagement of a forked type of attachment clipon a panel form system using wire ties, and

FIG. 10 is a side elevation of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 9 showing an attachment clip engaged behind a longitudinally extendingreinforcing bar as used in connection with the form system of FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of theinvention are shown in the accompanying drawings. In a first embodimentas shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a scaffold-waler bracket 11 is shown engagedto elements of panel type concrete forms 12. The panel forms illustratedprovide form boards 13 for disposition in upright side-by-sidearrangement. With this type of form a plurality of waler bars 14 aregenerally positioned at spaced horizontal intervals to courselongitudinally along the face of the form boards 13. Usually the walersor bars, such as the element 14, or similar membersare interrupted atthe edges of each separate form board and a locking device is thenprovided for holding adjacent form panels together. The locking deviceseither serve simply to hold the form boards in adjacent position, oralternately the form locks can additionally engage form tieelements 16that extend from a first set of forms through the void space that is tobe filled with concrete and thence through the opposed form boards of anopposed set of forms. I y

In different forming systems twisted type wire ties, taper ties, orthreaded ties and she bolts may be used. For most forming systems thelongitudinal support provided by the segmented or interrupted walerelements 14 is inadequate to assure proper alignment of the forms asnecessary to attain a straight concrete wall. For this reason othershave previously provided different systems for attaching supplementarywalers to the forms after they have been erected and before a wall is tobe poured. Satisfactory walers are often provided through use ofdimension lumber materials or through use of auxiliary metal channel orangle sections. Where it is necessary to provide evenv additionalsupport, strongback elements are disposed vertically to interconnect aplurality of walers.

Many walls that are to be poured through use of present types of panelform systems may be eight to ten feet high. Under such circumstances ithas often been neces'sary for the contractors to erect scaffolding alongthe forms so that concrete can be moved into place for completion of thewall and to facilitate forming, finishing or other similar operations.Accordingly, many panel form systems. now provide scaffold brackets thatmay be attached to the forms for the support of elevated staging. Anobjective of the present invention is to provide a support and attachingsystem of suitable durability and utility to efficiently satisfy boththe waler support and scaffold requirements of forming operations. Inkeeping with such objective, the present inventor provides ascaffold-waler bracket of the type shown herein.

In-the first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, thescaffold-waler bracket 11 has a support frame 17 made preferably ofchannel section to support the movable clamp element 18 that is to bebrought into engagement with a timber piece 19 (or a plurality of suchpieces) disposed in side-by-side relationship. The clamp 18 is moved bymechanical advantage means that is in this preferred embodiment of theinvention a lead screw 21. Lead screw 21 has an inner end 22 that pivotsin a receptacle 23 provided by the frame 17, while an outer end 24 isrotated by an operator handle 26 that may be joined to the lead screw 21by a through pin 27 or other similar attaching device. Obviously, as thehandle is rotated the clamp element 18 will be moved toward or away fromengagement with the timber piece 19. In use the entire scaffoldwalerbracket 11 is engaged to secure elements of the forming system. Usuallythe particular form ties being used will be strong elements of the totalforming sys- "tem. Accordingly, it is desirable to attach the bracket insome way to such ties or at least to a form element that is directlysupported by the ties.

In order to adapt the present bracket for use with the various types ofform ties or forming system, the present invention provides a bracketconstruction that is adapted to receive various adaptor attachments. The

adapter attachment 31 used for the installation shown in FIGS. 1 and 2is similar to that shown in FIG. 4. This attachment has a bar segment 32and bifurcated tines 33. Bar segment 32 provides an opening 34 so thatan attaching bolt 36 may be passed there-through and through a similaropening provided in an extension component 37 of the frame 17. Thedepending tines 33 can then be positioned behind the angle waler 14 asshown with the tines 33 preferably straddling a through tie l6.Alternately the space 38 between adjacent tines 33 can provide areceptacle for the shaft 39 of a tie 16 while the button head 41 thereofis prevented from passage through such opening. With this alternatearrangement wherein the forked attachment 3] is engaged directly aboutthe button 41 of a rod type tie 16, the bracket 11 can be positioned atany elevation on the form system. Its positioning is not then dependentupon the predetermined positioning 'of the longitudinal reinforcing barsor walers provided by the form system.

Once the bracket 11 is attached to the form system through use of any ofthe various attachments that might be provided, the operator handle 26is rotated to bring the clamp 18 into secure engagement against theouter edge of a timber piece 19. An inner edge of the timber will at thesame time be moved into contact with the form boards 13 or with otherelements of the form system. When a plurality of scaffold-waler bracketsare used in spaced positions along the length of the wall, theengagement of all suchbracket clamps 18 will bring the wall intoalignment with the timberpieces. The timber pieces 19, accordingly,becomeform supporting walers that add considerable strength to the formsystem while assuring the better alignment thereof. In addition toproviding an aligning waler, the timber pieces 19 are used as a stagingor scaffold upon which workmen can walk when the wall is being poured orduring operations in preparation therefor. Since the alignment of asingle wall of the form system will usually be adequate to assureadequate alignment of the entire wall, a relative limited number ofscaffold-waler brackets will be required to assure correct installationof the wall.

For convenience of useage and in order to provide satisfactoryon-the-job utility, the brackets 11 should be capable of receivingtimber pieces 19 that may be of up to 12-inch dimension. Similarly thebrackets should be adaptable for use with waler components of 4, 6, 8 or10 inch dimension. To accommodate such a wide range of sizes the tongueor bar segment components of the attachments used may be of extended orshortened length. The adaptor attachment 51 shown in FIG. 5 has a tongue52 of extended length providing a plurality of openings 54 along thelength thereof. This type of attachment may be positioned above theextension component 37 of the frame 17 as illustrated in FIG. 8 tofacilitate the adjustable positioning thereof. In order to preventlateral or longitudinal swinging movement of the bracket frame 17, holes(not shown) may be provided through the lower extremity thereof for thereception of a nail 42 that can be selectively driven into the formboards 13. Usually such nail support will not be required, sinceadequate security is provided by the engaged adapter attachments beingused with the scaffold-waler brackets.

Drawings illustrating the use of other adapter attachments are. shown inFIGS. 710. In FIGS. 7 and 8 the attachment 51 of FIG. 4 is used. Thisattachment is provided for forming systems where the waler bars 44 ofthe form system are interrupted at positions adjacent the edges 46 ofthe form boards 13. This arrangement leaves a gap between the ends ofadjacent waler bars 44 and a resulting space behind the form lock 48when it is in the engaged position about through tie 16. For this typeof installation the prong 53 of attachment 51 may be positioned behindthe form lock 48. Forces exerted by the prong 53 are transmitted by theform lock 48 to the adjacent waler bars 44 and the through tie 16.

The adapter attachment 31 shown in FIG. 4 may be used in connection withuse of the present scaffoldwaler brackets on forming systems that usewire ties. For these systems, as shown-in FIGS. 9 and 10, a loop 57 of awire tie, 56 extends about a reinforcing bar 58. The forked tines 33 areplaced in straddle position over the loop 57 of the tie and behind thereinforcing bar 58 to provide a secure engagement for the scaffoldbracket.

This same type of attachment 31 can also be used in connection with aseparate forming system where a punched out pocket 59 is provided in thesurface of a waler bar 44 as shown in FIG. 3. The pocket 59 has a bolt60 disposed through the center thereof, and the tines 33 are engaged inthe pocket and about the through bolt 60 to provide a secure and strongattachment for the scaffold bracket.

An alternatearrangement for the lead screw and clamp components is shownin FIG. 6. In this embodiment of the invention the lead screw 61 is ininverted position, and it extends through a threaded anchor 62 toengagethe moving clamp 68. The lower end 69 of the moving clamp 68 has anopening therethrough for engagement about a guide component 71 so thatthe clamp will move reciprocally therealong when the screw 61 is rotatedby operation of the handle 66. For this embodiment of the invention thesame type of frame support and frame extension may be provided. Thethreaded anchor 62 and the guide component 71 may be attached to theframe by through pins 67 and 72. As in the previous embodiment, frameextension 37 is adapted to receive the separate types of adapterattachments 31, 51, or other. As an alternate arrangement, such adapterattachments could be joined directly to the guide component 71.

For the illustrated embodiment shown in FIG. 6 where a first form waler74 is provided by a wood piece, the tines 33 of attachment 31 or theprong 53 of attachment 51 could be extended into engaged position behindthe waler 74 to provide the desired support for the bracket unit. Theoperation and utility of this modified bracket unit is similar to thatpreviously described. When used with other typical panel form systems,the tines 33 of the attachment 31 may be engaged directly behind thebuttonhead 41 of a rod type tie 16, or the space 38 between adjacenttines 33 can be of a correct size to engage a notched segment in a tieof otherwise constant cross-section.

For all embodiments of the invention it is desirable that the clampelements 18 or 68 be of sufficient height to engage at least twoscaffolding or timber pieces 19 when such pieces are in stackedarrangement one above the other. This lapped configuration makes itpossible to use lumber that is of standard length to make up acontinuous waler reinforcement. It is unnecessary to cut any lumber whenthe bracket provides for overlapping engagement. Where the lapping isextended for at least the width between two brackets, the alignment ofthe waler and, accordingly, the straightness of the poured wall isassured.

I claim:

1. A scaffold-waler support bracket for use with staging elements and/orwalers in connection with concrete wall forming systems utilizing panelform components held in place by form ties comprising a support framefor said bracket positioned adjacent a form tie and having a legextending downwardly therefrom for engage ment with elements of the formsystem, a clamp element supported by said frame for adjusting movementtoward and away from the panels of said form system,

a staging support element on said bracket inposition intermediate saidclamp element'and elements of said form system whereby adjustingmovements of said clamp element may exertlateral pressure againststaging elements disposed on said staging support for holding saidstaging elements in operative personnel support positions against saidforms whereby the staging is further operative as a waler for thealignment and support of said forms, thread means operative thereof, abearing support in combination with said thread means and operativetherewith for moving said clamp element to adjusted positions, andalternate attachment means for selective use with said support bracketcombination, said attachment means having a prong disposed in angularposition with respect to the plane of said staging support forengagement with elements of said form system to hold said bracket inelevated position on said forms and for resisting forces exerted by saidclamp element.

2. The scaffold-waler support bracket as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid attachment means provides bifurcated tines for engagement with formsystem components.

3. The scaffold-waler support bracket as set forth in claim 1 andfurther comprising adjustment means for cooperative use with saidattachment means whereby the attachment means may be moved to multiplepositions of use.

4. The scaffold-waler support bracket as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid clamp element is threaded for engagement with said thread means.

5. The scaffold-waler support bracket as set forth in claim 1 whereinthe bearing support for said thread means is an anchor element providinginternal threads for engagement with said thread means to power movementof said clamp.

:UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION- Patent No.5,792,831 Dated Feb. 19; 1974 Inventor(s) Myron B. Verhey It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the claims:

Claim 1, column 6, line 10, after "operative" insert with said clampelement for the powered adjusting movement Signed and sealed this 2ndday of July 1974."

(SEAL) Atte st:

EDWARD M.FLETCH'E-R,JR; C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents ORM PC4050 (wss) USCOMM-DC 6O376-P69 U.S. GOVERNIENT PRINTINGOFFICE! 969 0-366-334

1. A scaffold-waler support bracket for use with staging elements and/orwalers in connection with concrete wall forming systems utilizing panelform components held in place by form ties comprising a support framefor said bracket positioned adjacent a form tie and having a legextending downwardly therefrom for engagement with elements of the formsystem, a clamp element supported by said frame for adjusting movementtoward and away from the panels of said form system, a staging supportelement on said bracket in position intermediate said clamp element andelements of said form system whereby adjusting movements of said clampelement may exert lateral pressure against staging elements disposed onsaid staging support for holding said staging elements in operativepersonnel support positions against said forms whereby the staging isfurther operative as a waler for the alignment and support of saidforms, thread means operative with said clamp element for the poweredadjusting movement thereof, a bearing support in combination with saidthread means and operative therewith for moving said clamp element toadjusted positions, and alternate attachment means for selective usewith said support bracket combination, said attachment means having aprong disposed in angular position with respect to the plane of saidstaging support for engagement with elements of said form system to holdsaid bracket in elevated position on said forms and for resisting forcesexerted by said clamp element.
 2. The scaffold-waler support bracket asset forth in claim 1 wherein said attachment means provides bifurcatedtines for engagement with form system components.
 3. The scaffold-walersupport bracket as set forth in claim 1 and further comprisingadjustment means for cooperative use with said attachment means wherebythe attachment means may be moved to multiple positions of use.
 4. Thescaffold-waler support bracket as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidclamp element is threaded for engagement with said thread means.
 5. Thescaffold-waler support bracket as set forth in claim 1 wherein thebearing support for said thread means is an anchor element providinginternal threads for engagement with said thread means to power movementof said clamp.